Could Troy Deeney be heading to Arsenal?

Arsenal have been strongly linked with a move for Watford striker Troy Deeney, with a £20 million bid rumoured to be on Arsene Wenger’s agenda during the January transfer window.

The Gunners are likely to proactive this month in order to solidify their strong position in the Premier League, but more importantly provide Wenger with more high quality options that could make the difference towards fulfilling their tag as league title favourites with Coral to end the twelve-year wait and securing a record-equalling third consecutive FA Cup.

Signing an in-form striker is a no brainer for Arsenal, with Wenger alluding to a thorough search for more options in attack as he currently has just one out-and-out striker to call upon. Deeney has already proved that he is capable of playing at a higher level and would not need to adapt unlike any overseas targets, making him stand out as a striker that would fit right in at the Emirates Stadium.

He has been in superb form for newly-promoted Watford this season, with the 27-year-old forming a formidable partnership with fellow striker Odion Ighalo, who has himself been linked with a big-money move away from Vicarage Road; although Ighalo has stood out as Watford’s leading goal-scorer and could be a good outside bet during 2016’s football betting action with Coral to pick up the Premier League Golden Boot, it is Deeney’s work rate and endeavour that has won many plaudits. These qualities would provide Arsenal with fresh impetus in attack, with former Gunners star Paul Merson believing that the striker would be a suitable signing.

Although the deal to bring in defensive midfielder Mohammed Elneny from FC Basel has been delayed as the 23-year-old is awaiting a work permit, any deal to bring Deeney to the Emirates could prove difficult to pull off. Not only are Watford highly unlikely to let their talismanic captain leave the club who are currently sitting ninth in the table, but Deeney also dismissed the link with Arsenal himself during an interview with TalkSport. It is perhaps unsurprising that the player would fuel further speculation by suggesting he would leave his current employers, but £20 million would prove value for money if Deeney was to utilise his football brain and work ethic as an effective solution to games when Olivier Giroud is finding it difficult to have an impact.

Six goals in twenty Premier League appearances may not make Deeney stand out as a player that the Gunners must bring in this month, but the goals tally is a disservice to the considerable threat he has caused to Premier League defences this season. He found goals difficult to come by in the opening months, albeit not for the want of trying, but six in his last ten in all competitions illustrates the rich vein of form that Deeney finds himself in. It remains to be seen whether Arsenal pursue a move for the Watford striker, but his arrival alongside Elneny may make fans more convinced to back the team on a football betting site to enjoy success in the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup